Caring youngster sacrifices presents for charity

Gaynor Clarke

A caring schoolboy has proved to be a real-life superhero as he dedicates his birthday to helping others.

Jon-James Touhey turns seven on Tuesday and will enjoy a party today to mark the occasion.

To give up receiving presents is a big thing for a little boy at six going on seven

Becky Hodgson

But rather than receiving birthday presents from his friends, he has asked for donations to two charities.

He wants to support the Ponseti clinic at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, where he has been treated since being born with a club foot, and the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund supporting the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.

Fittingly, his party has a superhero theme.

Jon-James’s mother Becky Hodgson, who lives in Golborne, said: “He’s been undergoing surgery on his left foot since he was born and it was always done at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. We have been going there for nearly seven years.

“We thought it would be nice to give something back so instead of his friends giving him birthday presents, he said he would like to raise some money by people donating whatever they would spend on a present.